What I Forgot To Say In The Philippine Children's Literature Forum

And so, it came to pass. The forum, for me, in most parts had been fun. Thank you very much to Gwenn Galvez of Anvil for organizing the event. To Roselily Medrano, librarian of the College of Fine Arts, professors and teachers of the College of Education, a job well done for staging this event with Anvil. To Prof. Chito Angeles and the dynamic librarians of the UP Diliman Main Library, thank you for supporting the PBBY and the book, Bumasa at Lumaya volume 2. I am happy to be with my kin in the profession discussing and being involved in the growth and development of children's literature.

Literacy advocates all!

However, there are some things I forgot to say during the open forum and that blogging about it will make sleep come easy. The question about curriculum and how reading can further enrich it are two of the topics I wish to expand on this blog post.

First of all, I use the curriculum as one of my guides in developing the library's collection particularly the non-fiction books. What the library has, in its holdings and resources, must adhere and answer to the school's curricular offering. Budgeting would follow since prices of books differ from one subject matter to another. This is a measured and safe technique in collection building. Using the curriculum as a selection guide in the acquisition of library resources would lead to an alignment of pedagogy and practice. What happens in the classroom can be extended in the library in the form of a research activity, reading assignments and writing tasks that pertain to requirements in the subject areas.

I also use the curriculum as my selection and acquisition tool to widen the breadth of the collection as well as to deepen it. Not only am I acquiring books and resources that meet the competencies, skills and concepts in the curriculum, I also look at areas in the curriculum that inform me to acquire materials that will enrich and amplify teaching and learning experiences. The exciting and challenging part is, I do not do this alone. I work with academic coordinators and teachers in developing the library's collection.

Other than this, there are the circulation reports, feedback from students, parents and our own evaluation that matter in collection development. Once the library has stocked enough learning resources, the librarian can now recommend useful resources. What happens when there are few resources? Librarians reach out to linkages and network through inter-library loan, open source and library consortiums.

Many academic libraries follow this model. Schools, especially high school libraries, recommend their students visit colleges and public libraries for research and reading tasks. I think, it is about time to have consortiums set up at the level of school libraries. In the K-12 age, resource sharing may be a solution to the scarcity and shortage of learning resources.

Kung Bakit May Children's Books sa Isang High School Library

Kung Bakit May Children's Books sa Isang HS Library from Zarah Gagatiga

Trekking Down the Ravine and Up the Stream

Are we still in Cavite?

In the first week of February, we had Alternative Class Days (ACD) in school. It was two days of class activities and sessions that didn't follow the required course work or curricular offering.

It was fun! We learned lots!

There were ten ACD sessions and I joined the Recreation and Leisure session moderated by Coach Andrew Mavrides. Day 1 was a walking for fitness activity. We walked up Westgrove and down to Nuvali. Well, we rode in a van going to Nuvali upon reaching the gates at Westgrove. The walk was more than a 5K walk up hill and down hill in Westgrove. In Nuvali, we rode the boat and went biking. The picnic ground is an ideal place for children to run around and for families to spread a blanket under a tree. It was a well planned commercial area where strolling and "mall-ing" can be enjoyed by people from all walks of life.

Day 2 of ACD, as far as our session was concerned, was the more exciting one. We had barbecue at the backyard and we went down the stream.

Our campus sits on top of a hill. On good days, I would walk to the pool side and sit there looking at the clouds and the ridge on the west. Farther is Laguna Bay and the shadows of the Sierra Madre, an outline, can be seen from there. The view is beautiful! But, in all my five years in The Beacon Academy, I have not been down the stream. This water way that cuts through Silang, Cavite and out to Manila Bay is a place worth knowing.

With Guard Danilo and Teacher Motie

I have been to Sumag-ing cave in Sagada. I have crossed the sea that separates Alan, Northern Samar going to Capul Island. I don't know how to swim but I have snorkeled in the shores of Balicasag and Panglao, Bohol. So, what's a trek down the ravine and up stream in Silang, Cavite?

It was far from taking a stroll in the park!

The terrain was rough. Going down a steep path and going back up made me stop and catch my breath. It was a 70 degrees incline. Our guides, Mang Boy, our school utility man and Coach George, our life guard, knew the landscape well. Coach Andrew, our PE teacher has been down the ravine several times as well as our school guards and crew. What made me doubt myself was the water. The current was strong. The water was cool. It greeted us like a friend in shallow parts and it bullied us in areas where it was chest deep. The land was a mix of sand, red brown earth and pebbles.

The water was cool but it was not a gurgling stream!

The rocks and boulders that flanked both sides of the shore seem to breath. The trees and foliage that surround it seem to have eyes that look and stare upon us. The bugs and insects that flew and swam around us were a naturalists' dream encounter. Coach George found a turtle and we brought it up with us in the school for observation. Pancake the turtle, as baptized by one of our students, is currently being tended upon but he will be brought back to the stream soon.

Our science and PE teachers frequent going down the stream especially when the weather is benevolent. I suppose they are trying to know the land for integrated classes in the future. As for me, once is enough. But, I would recommend any new teacher from the Academy to take the adventure on days when the sky is clear and the weather portends good signs for trekking. I would tell them, to go down the ravine. Know the land. Wade in the water. Swim in parts were the water is chest deep and be brave going against the current. It is both frightening and fun! Just be sure you are with friends and guides whom you can trust.

That's how it has been with me working in the Academy for five years now and counting.

Book Review: Me Before You

SPOILERS ALERT.

SPOILERS ALERT.

SPOILERS ALERT.

You have been warned.

Me Before You
By Jojo Moyes
Penguin, 2013

I rode the bandwagon for this book. I knew it was a best seller in Amazon a few years back, but I was still in my Rainbow Rowell phase then. With the movie's trailer scattered all over social media,  starring Emilia Clarke and Sam Claflin, I made the jump and boy, did I get a wallop.

Me Before You is the story of Louisa Clarke and Will Traynor. Two very different people who were thrown together into circumstances they have no control of. Both discovered love but in the end, it was the choices they made that defined who they were for each other.

What worked

Louisa and Will have chemistry. Like opposite poles of a magnet, they were drawn to each other instantly. Moyes, however, revealed this so carefully through well developed characterization of Louisa and restraint in keeping Will's mindscape from the reader. It is through her description of Will's actions and subtle affections towards Lou, the events that they are put together and the plotting of crucial events, like the family dinner, the wedding and their trip to the maze that made him such a darling despite his bossy exterior. Lou may seem like a teenager at age twenty six, but Moyes was able to present why this was so in an experience that left her fearful and cautious. Thus, her child like qualities of transparency, cheerfulness and sincerity scored big time not only in readers' hearts, but in Will's as well.

Their banter and witty conversations were delightful to read. It was easy to love these two. Indeed, this is the couple worth rooting for. That is why, when the time came for Will to end his life, tears can't be helped but pour out.

That was the most difficult part for me. It was tough letting go of Will and seeing Lou in misery. What now? After all the effort and the love, the sacrifice and the suffering, Will has chosen to leave her with an impressive inheritance and inspiring words to live by. How can one's joy be a source of pain? Yes, this is love that is true, but the choice to leave and to let go is a way of loving too. Isn't it? Or is it?

I couldn't help but think how unfair Will had been to Lou. On the one hand, he was fair and humane to her considering that she deserves a better man who could give her, not just inspiring words to go and live boldly, to see the world and to conquer one's fears but for her to be loved as a woman should be loved. Something that Will was very good at before being confined to a wheel chair.

What did not work

Which is my issue at the end of the book. I want to know what happens to Lou after Will. She deserves her happily ever after or a closure that would tell me that things are going to be alright.

This is why, I am off to read the sequel, After You.

Over all, I love the book because of its fearless narration of how love can bring out the best in us and that loving is the respect we give to the ones we love as they make choices we often couldn't fully grasp.

Rating: 4 Bookmarks

UP College of Fine Arts Conducts Outreach and Book Donations

FA Library doing outreach program

Today at 2PM, the UP College of Fine Arts Library is set to do an art and storytelling workshop with Ruben 'Totet" de Jesus and Rey Bufi as workshop facilitators. Organized by Roselily A. Medrano, FA Librarian, she chose the students of San Vicente Elementary School as participants who will be interacting with Mr. de Jesus, an award wining illustrator and with dynamic storyteller, Kuya Rey Bufi. This is in the college library's outreach activity in line with the celebration of Arts Month.

Ms. Medrano has headed and organized book drives and book donations that benefited public schools and institutions in Cagayan Valley and recently, in Najuan, Mindoro. It was in 2011 that they started reaching out to schools and children. Their donations have reached daycare centers in Lasam Central School and Lasam Academy in Cagayan. Book donations came from CFA Faculty and staff, alumni, students and friends of Mr. de Jesus.

Roselily Medrano donating books at Lasam Academy, Cagayan

In line with this, she has coordinated with Anvil Publishing house and the UP Diliman Main Library for the forum on Philippine Children's Literature in the 21st Century on February 23, 2016 at the UP Main Library Lobby. The forum begins at 2PM. The objectives of the forum are:

 · To deepen our understanding on the importance of children's literature in the development of their reading skills; 

· To foster children's appreciation on the different literary genres;  

· To acquaint students on the current trends and development of children's literature in the Philippines.

Panelists are:

ANI ALMARIO – is a Board Member of the Philippine Board on Books for Young People (PBBY) and former President of the Reading Association of the Philippines. Ani is on the Management Team of Adarna Publishing House Inc. and she also the Directress of the Raya School.

ZARAH GAGATIGA - is a Children’s book author and Chief Librarian of Beacon Academy in Laguna and former President of the Philippine Board on Books for Young People (PBBY).

RAYVI SUNICO-is a children’s book author and publisher and Board member of the Philippine Board of Books for Young People.

RUBEN DE JESUS -is an award winning children’s book illustrator, founding member of Ang Ilustrador ng Kabataan (INK) and Board member of the Philippine Board on Books for Young People (PBBY). He is also a faculty member of the College of Fine Arts, University of the Philipiines Diliman.

PORTIA PADILLA - is a member of the Reading Association of the Philippines and a faculty member of the UP College of Education, University of the Philippines Diliman.

For details visit: https://www.facebook.com/events/1033448366697599/ 

Ang Tunay na Love Team na Tunay na Book Lovers Part 2

Narito na ang ikalawang bahagi ng interview nina Cris at Galvin Ngo, ang husband and wife team na may pakana ng Give Your Books A Second Chance: A Book Drive for a Cause.

What makes Give Your Books A Second Chance different from last year’s campaign?

Cris: Last year’s That Thing Called Reading was more of a simple mixer activity. We just wanted people to share about their favorite books.

This year, we thought about the spirit behind IBGD. Since it’s about sharing the love for reading through book giving, having a book drive seemed like the most appropriate idea. We've realized that we have to go beyond our partnership (the 2 of us) if we want to reach a wider reading community. This is the reason why we tapped different groups like Bookbed, poets, musicians and Tweedle Book Cafe. We hope that this starts bringing in more readers together to form a community.

Galvin: Last year was a trial for us. We wanted to try to bring together book lovers, so we just hosted a simple blind book dating activity in Habi Education Lab’s Open Love Event. It was fun so we thought of making it an annual thing.

While planning for what to do this year, and in line with using famous romantic movies as a theme, we came across A Second Chance...and I guess that was the inspiration. Since this also a celebration of international book giving day, it fit quite well!

This year we are lucky to have met new partners!-namely, Bookbed and Tweedle book cafe, as well as other friends who will be helping out just for fun:) It’s pretty exciting-we’ll still have the blind book dating-(℅ book bed), plus an acoustic performance by a group of teachers, spoken word, a few games, and it’s gonna be held in a wine cellar at platform 9 ¾!

What is the book you fell head over heels in love with?why?

Cris: Secret Letter from O to 10 by Susie Morgenstern. It's a children's book from France. I just fell in love with the characters! The simplicity of the descriptions and metaphors used in the story will surely tug at your heartstrings - just like a Jerry Spinelli novel.

Galvin: Mine would be scarlet letters from 0 to 10. It will always be a special book because it’s one of those books that my wife, Cris, “bullied” me into reading. (Just kidding:)) Though the story was pretty simple(no spoilers here), it came at a time when Cris and I were beginning to write our own story together. I guess there are books that just come to our lives at the right time:)  

Ang Tunay na Love Team na Tunay na Book Lovers Part 1

Tapos na ang Valentine's Day pero nagaalab pa rin ang pagmamahal nina Cris at Galvin Ngo, ang cute couple (na hindi pabebe), hindi lamang sa isa't isa, kundi sa mga aklat at sa pagbabasa.

Book lovers in real life, Cris and Galvin have been doing reading campaigns and book drives since last year's book and reading event, That Thing Called Reading. Another brainchild of theirs is Every Teacher A Reader a reading advocacy to encourage teachers to grow professionally through reading.

Sa blog interview na ito, ibinahagi ni Cris at Galvin ang dahilan sa pagbuo nila ng Every Teacher A Reader. Mababasa rin sa post na ito ang bago nilang book drive at reading campaign na Give Your Books A Second Chance. 

What is love?

Cris:  Love is, like what Fr. Arrupe, SJ, says, “what seizes your imagination... It will decide what will get you out of bed in the mornings, what you will do with your evenings, how you spend your weekends, what you read, who you know, what breaks your heart, and what amazes you with joy and gratitude.”

Galvin: Love is deciding to journey with someone.

Why Every Teacher A Reader?

Cris: The original intention behind Every Teacher A Reader is that we wanted to turn more teacher into nerds! Haha! But seriously, we’re quite passionate about professional development for educators. We think that reading is an excellent way for teachers to learn new things. And maybe when their excitement awakens, they start exchanging ideas and this pushes more teachers to think about PD.

Right now, the first step towards this goal is to make reading more fun and enjoyable. This is why we try to come up with different and quirky gimmicks!

Galvin: Cris and I are both educators, and in our nerdy talks, we realized how reading more can help make us better teachers-not just to help inform our work but also to help us become more empathic people, most specially to our students. We think that more teachers should consider reading more, and so we thought of promoting this advocacy and building a community to nurture it.

 Part 2 of the interview will be posted tomorrow. Alamin kung saan mapupunta ang mga aklat na mabibigyan ng second chance para mabasa at mahalin!

Kuya Rey's Five Fantastic Storytelling Tips

Kuya Rey in his child like persona.

Last Saturday, the blog featured storyteller Rey "Kuya Rey" Bufi and his storytelling in varied communities. In this blog post, he shares five tips for young and aspiring storytellers.

A. Know Your Audience.  Always know the profile of your audience, their age, background, number of participants, venue and etc. These will help you identify your story for the activity and yoru strategy. But always bring several storybooks so you could easliy adjust if there are changes in the profile of your audience. For example, it is not advisable to tell a long story to pre-schoolers because small children have short attention span.

B. Be creative.  You should be quick in assessing your audience during the storytelling session. If your planned strategy doesnt work, then think of other ways to present the story. Storytelling is all about improvisation. Learn to improvise. Decide based on the behavior and reaction of your audience. This is difficult but the only way to learn it is to do frequent storytelling sessions. It is your exposure and experience to different types of audiences that will help you become a versatile storyteller. Every storytelling activity is a unique experience.

C. Connect to your audience. Build connections by finding common ground. You may do this by asking questions relatable to them or you may approach and talk to your audience before the storytelling starts. Make your audience comfortable so that they would open up and participate. Remember that storytelling is a shared experience. It is a conversation between you and your audience. The story is your connection with each other and in the end, your goal is to make that story a shared experience.

D. Start with your own stlye. Start with your own storytelling style. In this way, you will be comfortable in your first storytelling activity. This will help you gain your confidence and as you do it frequently, you could try different styles.

E. Know the story. This means that you should learn the sequence of the story by heart. This will guide you in making the right pauses, emotions and questions. If you forget the words, it would be easier for you to adlib.

Rey Bufi is the founder of the The Storytelling Project. Get in touch with Kuya Rey via reysbufi@gmail.com.

Quick Book Reviews: 10 Contemporary Romance Novellas for Your Reading Pleasure

Because it's Valentine's Day, I am recommending these ten novellas for those who wish to read contemporary romance. In no particular order, these novellas are good reads as it brings the "kilig" and "ohlala" moments. All for light and easy reading but each book has a way of making you feel that all is right in the world because, at the end of the day, all you really need is love.

Big Rock by Lauren Blakely - Why it can be good to fall in love with your best friend.

Bound: The Mastered Series by Lorelei James - Where the thin line between art and pornography is drawn in exquisite details.

Unwound: The Mastered Series by Lorelei James - A follow up novella of Bound, Ronin and Amery, come to terms with broken promises, a deeper level of intimacy and that every relationship has compromises. Reading about shibari is interesting too.

Corporate Husband by Beverly Farr - Love slowly grows. Like art, it is not rushed. Hail to the guy who knows how to give a wounded woman her space and a time to heal.

Let Me Be the One by Lily Foster - Love makes us better people. Darcy showed Tom how and it took him a lot of humble pie to eat up and swallow.

Our Now and Forever by Terri Osburn - If you want a fairy tale kinda love story, this one is for you. Caleb never gave up on Snow because, really, a guy would know if a girl is worth fighting for.

One Night With A Stranger by Linda Steinberg - What if a one night stand turns into something that is an always? Lisa took a risk and Matt knew how to treasure her in return.

His First and Last by Terri Osburn - First love never dies.

Boiling Point by Tessa Bailey - HOT! HOT! HOT!

Romance Books 1-4: The Other Man; Torn; True Love; New Beginnings by Nancy Adams - John and Tina's marriage is on the rocks. Tina fumbles. But John, oh dear. How he loved Tina. Here's to second chances!

In all ten novellas, I can say that the men are all in love with strong women who, flawed as they are, are confident to speak their minds and make decisions of their own choosing. Of course, this is romance and the love teams in each novella are all convincing enough to root for.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Give Your Books A Second Chance

Pinoy Kuwentista: Rey Bufi

Mr. Rey Bufi is the new board member of the Philippine Board on Books for Young People (PBBY) representing storytellers. He is the founder of the The Storytelling Project, a non-government organization that sets up reading centers and promote storytelling as a means to develop a lifelong love for books and reading. Get to know him more in this interview.

1. Why tell stories? 

I tell stories to help children see the joy of reading and to help them create a habit of reading. By incorporating fun with learning in telling stories, children realize that reading is not just an academic activity but rather an enjoyable task. I also believe that telling or sharing stories woul help to inspire people.

2. When did you realize that storytelling is something you need to do?

I started to realize this when I became a volunteer of an employee organization in my previous work. It was a decade ago when I started as a volunteer of that organization and I saw how happy the kids were during our storytelling activities. Children love stories and making each activity a fun learning experience is a great way to educate children.

3. What is your favorite story to tell? 

I have several favorite children stories but my choice always depends on my audience. Ang Pambihirang Sobrero ni Mia by Mike Tejido is a favorite when i have a huge crowd of small children. Papel de Liha by Ompong Remigio is also a classic favorite. I use it when the audience is a mix of children who are in the middle grades, young adults and even adults. Another one of my favorites is Super Labandera by Jim Mark Carolino and Mary Grace Soriano. It is a story about his mother who does laundry to help their family. Jim Mark is one of our learners in The Storytelling Project. I tell this story when I am invited to share TSP's story and I find that it inspires people to know that a child was able to create his own story and see it published.

4. How do you choose stories to tell? 

I choose stories based on the profile of my audience. I always ask for information from the people who invite me such as who my audience are, their age, the crowd size, the venue setup, the event theme, the goal of the storytelling session among other things. These will help me determine the story to choose. When i have a book in mind, I ask myself if that book would be relatable for the intended audience. In case the organizer has chosen a book for the storytelling session and it doesn't fit the considerations, then I just have to find ways to make it relatable to my audience through other strategies.

5. What defines a successful storytelling session? 

A successful storytelling session for me is when the audience is happy and engaged during the session and when the audience could retell the story.

For more information on The Storytelling Project, visit their FB page https://www.facebook.com/TheStorytellingProject/ or get in touch with Rey Bufi via this email, reysbufi@gmail.com.

Filipino Librarian: Kevin Conrad Tarrobal Tansiongco

This is Kevin with kids who enjoy listening to his storytelling.

This month, the featured Filipino Librarian is Mr. Kevin Conrad Tarrobal Tansiangco. I first met him in the Information Literacy seminar workshop I conducted with the Aurora Boulevard Consortium in August last year. He was a Library and Information Science (LIS) student then and a candidate for graduation at the University of the East.

I was impressed at Kevin's idealism for LIS development in the country in general, and in particular on his advocacy for reading through the establishment of reading centers and libraries. Last January, I met him at the Follet Destiny workshop at ISM. He has graduated from university and has begun work as a new LIS professional with Follet. Here is Kevin's interview.

1. Why did you major in LIS?
Actually, I enrolled as an accountancy student  then I shifted to LIS because, first it has a board exam and this is one of my goals to finish a degree with a board exam. I don't have any idea of what it is and what will be my future in this course. This was a suggestion from my aunt who is working in the university where I was a student, the University of the East. I was so curios about the course and when I enrolled in LIS on my first semester I loved the way it was taught. To fast forward, I see myself as a successful librarian in the future, specifically a good storyteller.

2. What learning did you get from your LIS training that you will take with you in the workplace? 

Before I graduated and hired in a job I was a student assistant of the UE Library for 3 years. I experienced almost all of the activities and services needed to be learned as a future information professional. Most of the learning I brought with me in my new workplace is more on the management aspect taught in the subject library management.  Even my storytelling skills  is a way of demonstrating to my audience, which are mostly librarians and administrative officials, the points of management concepts, like marketing. Through storytelling, I can persuade them to look at the benefits and how good our library software is. Also learning cataloging principles help in explaining and demonstrating the advantages of cataloging online.

Cool Kevin in the City of Pines

3. What are your expectation as a new LIS Professionals? 

I expect a big change to the level of the librarians to other professionals. I expect that we as the new generation of LIS professionals will take an action to help the profession be known and become more important than usual. Continuing education and research must start from us librarians because that can help us level up our love for the profession. I really expect, as always, that the librarians' world are very wide and opportunities in the society.

4. What aspect of your advocacy are you most proud of?

I am very proud of the way we help children; to lift up their dreams; and to help them study more as I make a difference in each of child. I am very proud also that I will start with my new program which is the READ Program - Read, Educate, Act, and Develop. This way I can say that I can help lessen illiteracy in my community. The plan is to build a reading and learning center under the READ Program in my community. The Library Renewal Partnership is one of our partners continuously helping and donating books.

The Makati Library Hub Steps Up on Professional Development for Teacher Librarians

With Phia Delfin

The Library Hub in Makati City is alive and functional. Catering to more than 40 schools in the division, it is manned by a licensed librarian, Ms. Phia Delfin and aided by a library staff. I first met Phia in 2010 during a workshop for librarians and teacher librarians (full time teachers assigned to do library duties) who were assigned to run the hubs.

It was a workshop sponsored by Adarna House. I have blog entries about it. One is about the outline of my seminar workshop while the other post featured Mrs. Digna Aquino who was then the assigned teacher librarian in the Pasig Library Hub. At the time, the library hub in Pasig was the exemplar of best practice. Now I wonder what has happened to the library hub in that city. Mrs. Aquino is a retired teacher who made wonders for the library hub. She is probably in her 70s now. Is she still working as a library hub teacher librarian? If not anymore, who replaced her? Is the hub being sustained as an exemplar of best practice? The challenge of succession, leadership and sustainability are issues that many libraries and communities willing to have functional reading centers, at least, face constantly.

Since Phia has been with the Makati City Library Hub for six years now, she has been able to build relationships with the teacher librarians in each schools. The workshop she organized last Friday, February 5 at the Makati Elementary School was the first for the year. I got the impression that there will be more in the months to come.

Here is the presentation I used in the workshop.

Dep ed libraryhub_makati from Zarah Gagatiga

Teacher Lorima read aloud their book to a listening adience.

I live blogged the morning session of the workshop. It was an input session on basic library organization and programming. In the afternoon, Mrs. Leonila Galvez of the Library Hub DepEd Central shared more reading promotions and projects. After an hour of sharing exciting activities on reading, I was back to facilitate the book making and story writing workshop. These are staple workshop activities I do in all my teacher librarian workshops. It may not be a new activity since they have had experience with this kind of workshop before.

As a storyteller and published author, I believe that creating stories, writing and reading them aloud to an audience is a creative experience. The exercise will not lead them to publishing instantly. The point is for participants to look at themselves as a collection of stories. A living and human library. With in them are life stories that are worth sharing to others. To code and write down these stories into self made books empowers them to create and communicate. What happens when there are no books? The answer is, tell stories. Life stories.

Tell personal stories. Code it. Write it. Read it aloud.

Teacher Vic's Top Tips

Two weeks ago, the blog featured Teacher Vic and the work he does in reading assessment and intervention. Here now are his tips for literacy learning and better reading.

• Your top 5 tips for kids so they can be independent and lifelong learners

• Read about things that you like. You can listen to suggestions from your parents and teachers. But in the end, it’s your choice.
• Read, even if your parents don’t.
• Read, even if your friends don’t.
• Just like any skill, reading takes practice.
• Listen to your teachers. Most of the time, they know how to help you. 

• Your top 5 tips to teachers so they can teach literacy better 

• Know your stuff.
• Know when you don’t know enough.
• Know when to ask for help.
• Know when to have a break.
• Read, and be seen doing it.

• Top three books that influenced your choice of career

• Teaching Them to Read by Dolores Durkin
• Beginning to Read by Marilyn J. Adams
• Best Practices in Literacy Instruction by Michael Pressley

For inquiries on reading assessment and intervention programs, Teacher Vic can be reached through these contact numbers: 293-5431 (Builders School) and 09178527491 (mobile number).

Live Blogging: Seminar Workshop on Organizing the Library at the Makati Library Hub

Presenting right now is Ms. Leonila Galvez, consultant for Library Hub, DepEd Central Office on best practices, reading activities and programs for the school library. We are here in Makati Elementary School where the Library Hub workshop on Organizing a Library is being held. We are speakers to sixty teacher librarians.

This morning, I did a perspective taking on library concepts and emphasized the important role that librarians do in learning communities. I gave them basic principles in organizing a library and provided steps in setting up a book collection. I showed samples of online directories and e-book collections. Wikis. Pathfinders. LibGuides. Librarian made online directories via google sites.

The participants enjoyed my read aloud of Library Mouse by Daniel Kirk using an ebook. I couldn't find my print copy so I bought on Amazon. I got the same response from the teachers. They were engaged and entertained. Because the ebook was projected using a LCD, everyone can see the colorful visuals of the illustrated story books.

After Madme. Leony Galvez, I will be working with the teachers for a book making project.

Insights From UP FLIPP's New Professionals Series Seminar & Unconfenrence

The young and the restless: UP Flippers, Mdme Salvacion Arlante & me.

I wish to congratulate the officers of UP FLIPP (Future Library and Information Professionals of the Philippines) for a successful LibSpeak 2016. I have had the pleasure of being invited several times over by this vibrant and young group of students. Every engagement is a different experience but laden with learning and insights as always.

This year, LibSpeak 2016 had two simultaneous events, a conference graced by three esteemed UP SLIS alumni and the "first" New Professionals series seminar and unconference. The former follows tradition. Something tried and tested. The later deviates a bit from the path more traveled. That was where I found myself yesterday.

It suited me just fine.

The New Professional Series is meant to foster mentoring, build networks and linkages, and open up opportunities for continuous professional growth and development. Sounds familiar? Same objectives that many professional organizations have. What made this different was the format in which the seminar and "unconference" was conducted. The methodology went like this: a resource speaker gave an input on the theme; two senior colleagues gave a response; a breakout session followed and in each group, a sub-topic that was related to the theme was talked about; next was the feedback and reporting; open forum; and then, a closure. For some, this may look like a small scale PLAI Congress or a format done by organizations off shore in conferences too. Not entirely new, but it was modified to fit a particular context.

What I really liked about the format and method employed by the Flippers was that, it surfaced many voices. Participants were given choices of groups to belong to. Voice and choice. Two important features of instruction that is centered on the learner. The design of the seminar and unconference also lent for discourse, though, this kind of conversation needed refinement of thought and thinking processes.

I think we need meaningful discourse to prepare us for more difficult and challenging cognitive tasks: reading, writing and research.

Joseph Marmol Yap was in top form. The young LIS professional I met in Bacolod in 2012 is not the same man I listened to yesterday. Congratulations to the UP Flippers for a job well done! I am sure your mentors are proud of you. Thank you once again for bringing me along in the journey of the path less traveled by. It was not a lonely walk, but an interesting one where conversing with the future LIS professionals gave me hope to keep on doing what I have considered as my life's mission. It was an inspiring morning!